A couple of us local Red Sox fans are going to contact the ballclub about hosting an official Gay Day at Fenway this season.

The Cubs and a few other teams have had these events, and we'd like to tap into your experience with the business aspects that made it a bigger deal than just a group ticket buy. (We figure to have a couple of thousand participants.)

Who was the contact within the ballclub organization? How was the particular game chosen? What were the final numbers for attendance, revenue and charitable beneficiaries, if any? How were advertising and ticket distribution handled? Other logistical or "social" issues that were encountered?

We really appreciate your help! Feel free to reply online, since the Cubs' success -- and ours with the Red Sox, hopefully -- may inspire other towns to do the same. wink Thanks

[ January 25, 2004, 09:06 AM: Message edited by: redsoxbreath ]

Hey breath -

Let us know if you get anywhere. I'd be willing to fly up to show my support (any excuse to get back to Fenway). My suggestion would be to get in touch with the group sales guy and see if there is even a game with a large enough block of available tickets. Then I think it's just getting the team's blessing to promote it as a gay day, blocking off the tickets and see if you can get some free promotion. No prob!

Good Luck!

A Red Sox exile in DC

Must we segregate ourselves in every activity? What is the point of a Gay Day at a ballpark, or at Disney World, or anywhere? So we can feel free to make out in public? We want to be treated as equal, but we also want our own special day?

My partner and I have gone to Yankee Stadium, Shea and the Vet many times together, and don't hide the fact that we're a couple. Nobody cares. (At least, nobody seems to care.)

Seriously, why do we want a Gay Day for an event that has nothing to do with our sexuality? I've always wondered.

Yep - us too - Of course they seemed to be pissed off at the Indians logo on my hat!!!!

This is a very interesting point.

On the one hand, why should we have "special days?" As FeverDog says, if we want to be treated equal, we should act equal. And, one suspects that some people who attend such events are not so much ball fans as people who want to be part of an in-your-face spectacle, making a statement (not that there's anything wrong with that). But if you're gay and like baseball you're going to go whether it's Gay day or not.

On the other hand, we all know that if we behaved the way straight people take for granted (holding hands, kissing publicly) we are accused of "flaunting" our sexuality and risk harassment and violence. And, as other groups have special days--last year the Blue Jays had Japanese night, Portugese night, Latin night, Caribana night-- why can't we have ours?

I was at Japanese night last year (it occured when the Mariners/Ichiro/Kaz Sasaki were in town) and there were special ceremonies honoring Japanese and Japanese-Canadian baseball. No reason why Gay night couldn't honor gay players(?) and/or gay leagues or have some other kind of festivities.

Also, it's a good way of showing the hetero world that gay people like baseball, too.

I believe Gay Day at Disney was started as a result of a same sex couple being ejected fromt the park for kissing. And I know I remember at least one incident of a lesbian couple being kicked out of a baseball stadium for the same thing. That alone is enough reason why these Gay Days serve a purpose.

'Cause it's fun!

Anyway folks, I'm trying to get information from those who helped organize the Cubs event. If you want to discuss the politics of Gay Day, kindly take it to another thread. In this one, you're off the topic. I appreciate it.

[ February 20, 2003, 09:11 PM: Message edited by: redsoxbreath ]

I don't have any experience with organizing a Gay Day, but with some fundraising and conference planning experience, I'd strongly recommend you contact a local gay or AIDS service organization, talk to them about making this a fundraiser for them (sell tickets at face value and they get to keep the group discount), because then you have access to their mailing list, publicity/fundraising people, etc. You might also want to talk to the organization that is putting on the conference in Boston the end of March. I can't imagine trying to do get 1000 people without some formal organization involved. Good luck and keep us posted. Maybe some of us Philly/New Yorkers will come up for the event.

Attended Gay Day at the ball park last June at Wrigley field...was fun & definitely a success...just emailed Ulice Payne (Milwaukee's new president) about doing such a thing at Miller Park this summer for a Brewers game...any Brewers fans out there wanna discuss this or any other things about the team??

There's no mention in the Outsports article that the Cubs event was a fundraiser, so it may have been just a team promotion. Wisc Jock, do you happen to recall?

Not that there's anything wrong with that; we'll have to look at it both ways.

(Scottie, welcome home. wink )

[ February 23, 2003, 06:13 PM: Message edited by: redsoxbreath ]

I seem to remember the Atlanta gay day benefits a local group. The SF AIDS awareness day I know is a fundraiser. The only reason I suggested doing it as a fundraiser (again, charge people face value of ticket, let the non-profit keep the few $ per ticket saved by buying at the group rate) is the built in number of people the non-profit can contact and publicize the event to. But you might also want to start it like the Outsports convention, start small and grow every year.

Hey Wisconsin Jock,
We're now related. My town, Helena Montana just got our junior League team back and we're the Helena Brewers, and it is a direct affiliation. Pretty cool huh?

Think you're right. The Cubs are very promotion-oriented (in a different way than the Veeck-era Sox), knowing that many of their fans are there for the party (but in nearby bars and restaurants because there's no place to tailgate). Also, they're trying (sort of) to improve relations with their neighbors, and Wrigley is a very short walk from the Halsted strip ... where the annual Market Days street fair is always scheduled on an away weekend (largely to avoid conflicts with home-game traffic).

Red Sox Breath - Good luck and keep us posted on your work on Gay Day.

We would go of course, as would some of our friends. Perhaps you could contact pridesportsboston, or bostonsportspride, or whatever the umbrella group for Boston Gay Sports Leagues is called. They might be able to help organize or spread the word to non-sports averse gays and lesbians.

The Ramrod will be packed that night!